Lyla is in Montessori and we love it. Also, electronic toys drive me absolutely freaking batshit nuts. Hence, we don't buy her things that light up and make noise. #parentalsanityisimportant. So here are some of the things that we have bought for her both last Christmas as a 1 year old and for this Christmas as a two year old! If you've got other ideas, let me know! I am always on the hunt for good gift ideas for the lady.

Books

Lyla is in a "I refuse to eat anything period at all, but especially anything that might looks like a vegetable" phase. I am loving it. So now I am trying to use books to expose her to different foods. She also loves yoga and France... here are the books she is getting for Christmas/her birthday.

Toys for Independent Play

Hot tip: let them open this stuff on Christmas/their birthday and then introduce one thing per week into their regular playing areas. That way the "new-ness" lasts for a while as the new stuff gets incorporated into the old.

Bath

Lyla is so sick of the bath toys that she has had for two years that bath for her has become like 5 minutes long. And since it is the only portion of the day that she is contained, we are stepping up our bath game this year.

Gifts for the Kids that are for the Parents

Traveling goodness, kitchen helpers, and craft stuff. And the number one thing we got her this last year so far: the feelings flashcards. These things are AMAZING. Just yesterday Lyla told me: "Moana is CONFIDENT!"

Hopefully these less annoying, gender neutral Montessori style toys will get you rocking and rolling with your Christmas lists for the littles. I am determined to have all of our shopping done by December 1 this year. Determination gets it done right?

House of Bennetts

Hey now. I'm Treana...welcome to my little slice of the internet where I get to use exclamation points with abandon!!! We do more here than overuse certain forms of punctuation. Around these parts you'll find DIY projects, budgeting ups and downs and tools, photography fun, food goodness, music loves, and hopefully a little inspiration. We talk about anything and everything here and hope that you'll join us in our mutual weirdness we call life. For more about us, our wedding, and our lives, visit the 'Bout the Bennetts page. (I so wanted to put an exclamation point there).

Email address? *

Thank you!

Just a couple of Colorado girls at the lake. #chatfieldstatepark #youdownwithlmb

So damn proud to share these. Been working harder than ever and am stronger than ever. Can’t wait to see how I continue to transform externally and mentally in these next 40ish days. #80dayobsessionresults #80dayobsession @autumncalabrese if you’re wanting to start somewhere, anywhere- let’s talk. I started this journey at the end of last September. There’s no such thing as a quick fix.